Painted Snipe still at Kellys Swamp Tuesday pm.

["Philip Veerman" <>]

I watched the two birds for something over 40 minutes between 4:00 pm and 5:40 pm today. It was about 30 minutes of scanning before I saw them and they appeared from pretty much exactly were I was looking. Most of the time they were hiding in the grass but came out to feed on the mud several times. The last long view, they were out in the open and bathing and preening and doing a lot of wing stretching about 15 metres out in the open from the grass edge. For about the last hour of this time I was with Ben Walmsley. They are remarkably close. Throughout that time, inasmuch as they were within view, the two birds were rarely more that a metre apart.

 

This is the third day of ever I have seen this species, the first in December 1972. What a great find, thanks Harvey. I went there yesterday and was not successful.

 

Maybe tomorrow I may have time to send some photos I took of where the birds were located. This may help others to find them. The birds themselves may just be a dot on the photo.

 

Accompanied with the one Glossy Ibis (a one stage about 3 metres away from the PS) and one Spotted Crake.  

 

Philip Veerman

24 Castley Circuit

Kambah  ACT  2902

 

02 - 62314041